Leaving On a Jet Plane

John Denver

All my bags are packed
I'm ready to go
I'm standin' here outside your door
I hate to wake you up to say goodbye
But the dawn is breakin'
It's early morn
The taxi's waitin'
He's blowin' his horn
Already I'm so lonesome
I could die

So kiss me and smile for me
Tell me that you'll wait for me
Hold me like you'll never let me go
'Cause I'm leavin' on a jet plane
Don't know when I'll be back again
Oh babe, I hate to go

There's so many times I've let you down
So many times I've played around
I tell you now, they don't mean a thing
Every place I go, I'll think of you
Every song I sing, I'll sing for you
When I come back, I'll bring your wedding ring

So kiss me and smile for me
Tell me that you'll wait for me
Hold me like you'll never let me go
'Cause I'm leavin' on a jet plane
Don't know when I'll be back again
Oh babe, I hate to go

Now the time has come to leave you
One more time
Let me kiss you
Then close your eyes
And I'll be on my way
Dream about the days to come
When I won't have to leave alone
About the times, I won't have to say

Kiss me and smile for me
Tell me that you'll wait for me
Hold me like you'll never let me go
'Cause I'm leavin' on a jet plane
Don't know when I'll be back again
Oh babe, I hate to go

But, I'm leavin' on a jet plane
Don't know when I'll be back again
Oh babe, I hate to go


Lyrics submitted by swomprat

Leaving, On A Jet Plane Lyrics as written by John Denver

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Royalty Network, RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.

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Leaving On a Jet Plane song meanings
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33 Comments

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  • +3
    General Comment
    this is song is beautiful. no one's ever been able to capture the agony of a muscian on the road, travelling and away from the one he loves like john has.
    glockenspielon November 07, 2004   Link
  • +3
    General Comment
    John Denver eerily predicted his own demise with this song! SPOOKY, HUH?
    bradleybon March 24, 2005   Link
  • +3
    General Comment
    I'm amazed that JD admits to fooling around on his girlfriend in a song like this. "Hey, I'm sorry I've betrayed you so many times and I'm heading out of town again and probably will do it again. But when I come back, I'm going to settle down with you and get married. How bout it?" THE PP&M version of this was one of my favorite songs when I was a kid, and still holds a special place in my heart. But the cheating part sure is bittersweet.
    PencilNeckedGeekon September 01, 2010   Link
  • +1
    General Comment
    This is such a mello song, and such a sad song. It makes me think of saying goodbye or moving on. I remember my uncle said they sung this song the night before his college graduation, just kept singing and singing it. What a great song for that situation.
    DMB84on March 29, 2003   Link
  • +1
    General Comment
    yeah i know so many people have done this song. like peter paul and mary and yeah thats cool but no one does just as good as john. you just hear the pain in the sound. Someone once told me it was about when he was just getting started in the music world and had to be flying a lot.
    poohblueskyon June 30, 2003   Link
  • +1
    General Comment
    The Janis Joplin version is better. It has way more emotion and captures the essence of the song. I like the less literal meaning of this song, as in I know I've done some crumbly stuff to you, and cheated, but I wasn't in the right state of mind, and still aren't. However, I will get myself together, and please wait for me, and when I do, I will devote myself to you....great song, no matter how you interpret it.
    havnfuninwashingtonon January 29, 2005   Link
  • +1
    General Comment
    I used to think this song was pure cheese but I worked in Hong Kong for a few months and a really sad German guy put it the jukebox in a bar about 10 times in a row. Every time I hear it now it reminds me of being apart from my girlfriend sitting in a bar on the other side of the world and it cracks me up every time.
    jbseymalloneon August 09, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment
    This song is self explanitory
    TheMadLiteraliston March 27, 2003   Link
  • 0
    General Comment
    Awww John Denver died on a plane crash. This song is soo sad. I never liked John Denver or this song until he died and my mom cried. Now I love it. F that little bitch face emo music these days. This is true.
    myhotelyearon May 09, 2003   Link
  • 0
    General Comment
    yeah it was actually originally peter paul and marry that sang that song, and there were about a dozen of people that sang it too. that song ist just so powerful. i'm doing an exchange year right now, and it fitted for both situations, when i left my home country, and even more now that i leave from here and leaving loved ones behind, just that "i'll bring your wedding ring" part doesn't fit ;)
    dude86on July 02, 2003   Link

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